


forgiving matchstick

by sleeponrooftops



Series: raising webhead: a parenting guide, attempted by the science boyfriends [39]
Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-16
Updated: 2013-07-16
Packaged: 2017-12-20 08:12:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/885005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeponrooftops/pseuds/sleeponrooftops
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter and Johnny finally talk about what happened.</p>
            </blockquote>





	forgiving matchstick

_One week later._

_July, 2023_

It’s nearly a week before Peter’s let out of the hospital, his arm broken in four separate places, tucked away in a cast and sitting in a sling that he holds close to his body.  They check him out, getting antibiotics and pain medication, and Peter refuses to speak to Tony and Bruce the entire way home.

 

They explained to him about Wade two days after he came out of surgery, finally out of the fog of the various meds he was on, and he’d just stared at them, this blank look on his face, before he was demanding they call Johnny.  He still hasn’t spoken to Johnny, despite his constant requests.

 

When they pull into the garage, he starts to unbuckle his seat, and Bruce sighs, looking over at Tony, who nods.  “How are you feeling, Peter?” Bruce asks, and he goes still in the back.

 

“I’m fine,” he says, not looking up at them, “Why?”

 

“Well, we spoke to Auntie Sue, and she said she’d bring Johnny over when we got back from the hospital if you were feeling up to it.”

 

“I’ll call him,” Peter says before he pushes open the door and gets out, not waiting for them.

 

They watch him go, and Bruce sags back into his seat, frowning.  “Did we do the right thing?” he asks softly.

 

“I hope so,” Tony says before he sighs and gets out.

 

Peter doesn’t wait for them in the elevator, and so he gets up to their floor alone, walking silently until he reaches his room and he goes through to the menagerie.  “Jarvis, call Johnny,” he says, going over to Cooper while it rings.

 

Sue answers, “Hello?”

 

“Hey, Auntie Sue,” Peter says, sighing, “Is Johnny there?”

 

“Uhm—yeah, he is.  Would you like to speak to him, or maybe I could bring him over?”

 

“I guess, uhm—I guess he could come over, if that’s alright.”

 

“We’ll be right there.  How are you feeling, Peter?”

 

“Good,” he lies, “I’m glad to be home.”

 

“That’s excellent,” Sue says, “Alright, well, we’ll see you in a bit.”  She hangs up, and Peter holds out a hand to Cooper, sitting once he’s on his arm.

 

He stays in there, just hanging out with Cooper until Tony comes knocking, opening the door and stepping just inside.  “Hey,” he says softly, and that alone makes Peter want to cry.  He hates that they think he’s mad at him, but he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do or say, not until he’s talked to Johnny, so he doesn’t respond.  “Okay,” Tony says after a few beats of silence, “Johnny’s here.  You want me to send him in?”

 

“Yeah, sure,” Peter mutters, and Tony pauses before nodding and turning away.  “Dad,” Peter says before he can leave, and Tony looks back at him, hopeful.  Peter holds his gaze for a moment before carefully getting to his feet, putting Cooper away, and going over to him, fighting back tears.  “I’m sorry,” he mumbles, and Tony sighs, carefully pulling Peter against him.

 

“It’s okay,” he whispers, and Peter breaks a little, shaking.

 

“I’m not mad at you and dad,” he says, and Tony nods.

 

“I know.  Hey,” he says, pulling back, “Chin up.  Remember what I always tell you?”

 

“Be brave, and stay calm,” Peter says, nodding, “Thanks, dad.”

 

“No problem, kiddo.  Dad and I will be in R&D if you need us.”

 

Peter manages a smile, and Tony leaves him with a kiss on the forehead that Peter tries not to flinch away at, thinking about the way Wade had cupped his head, so careful, his lips pressing against Peter’s skin.  He waits until Tony’s gone before he wipes furiously at his forehead, his hand trembling.  He doesn’t want to think about Wade, about anything, but then Johnny’s coming down the hall, and Peter goes to let him in, not saying a word as he walks inside.

 

Johnny’s the first to speak, “How long do you have to keep that thing on for?”

 

“Month and a half,” Peter says, shutting the door and going over to where he keeps the food.  It’s late morning, but his dads have been with him since last night, so he knows they didn’t feed them this morning.  “Mind helping?” he asks, holding out the fish food.

 

Johnny nods, taking it, and they work in silence, going around each other until everyone’s fed, and then Peter sits against the glass wall and waits for Johnny to join him.  “I’m so sorry, Peter,” Johnny says after a while of silence.

 

“Sorry for what?” Peter says before he can continue, “I mean, you only punched me in the face, broke my arm in _four_ different places, and made me lose one of my best friends, but really, what the _fuck_ are you sorry for?”

 

Johnny flinches back at the profanity, not meeting his gaze.  Peter is always the last of them to swear, and it wraps them in silence for long minutes until Johnny lets his head thud back against the wall.  “I’m sorry,” he says again, though his voice shakes this time, “I never should have said any of that, and I’ve—I’ve _tried_ , Peter, I’ve tried to talk to Wade, but he won’t listen to me.  I even went by Xavier’s, and Logan actually did the claw thing.  I thought he was going to use them, I couldn’t believe it, and Wade was—he was just standing behind him, and he told me that I should go and never come back.  I _tried_ , Peter.”

 

“Gee, Johnny, I guess we can be friends again.”

 

“Listen, I know you’re not going to forgive me, but I—”

 

“Of course I’m going to forgive you, you _moron_ ,” Peter sighs, “You’re my best friend, Johnny, but that doesn’t mean I’m not mad at you.  I’ll—I’ll deal with Wade myself, but you did enough damage already.  He’s not gonna be hanging out with us anymore.”

 

“Peter, no, I’ll—I’ll fix it, I swear, I—”

 

“Just forget it, Johnny, it’s over.  I just—I just want to have a good rest of the summer, okay?  Can you just let it go, _please_?”

 

“Yeah,” Johnny says, nodding, “Okay.”

 

“Good.  Let’s go into my room, then.  It’s hot in here.”

 

Johnny gets up, helps Peter to his feet, and then heads off, but Peter waits, watching him go.  When he’s beyond the first door, Peter says, very quietly, “Jarvis.”

 

“Yes, sir?”

 

“Delete Wade Wilson from the database.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

**Author's Note:**

> OW.


End file.
